Collection of Mesothelioma links

What is Mesothelioma? (Provided by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma)

Mesothelioma is a form of cancer that is almost always caused by previous exposure to asbestos.[1] In this disease, malignant cells develop in the mesothelium, a protective lining that covers most of the body's internal organs. Its most common site is the pleura (outer lining of the lungs and chest cavity), but it may also occur in the peritoneum (the lining of the abdominal cavity) or the pericardium (a sac that surrounds the heart).
Most people who develop mesothelioma have worked on jobs where they inhaled asbestos particles, or have been exposed to asbestos dust and fibre in other ways, such as by washing the clothes of a family member who worked with asbestos, or by home renovation using asbestos cement products. Unlike lung cancer, there is no association between mesothelioma and smoking [2].

Mesothelioma is caused by Asbestos? (Provided by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asbestos)

Asbestos (a misapplication of Latin: asbestos "quicklime" from Greek ἄσβεστος: a, "not" and sbestos, "extinguishable") describes any of a group of minerals that can be fibrous, many of which are metamorphic and are hydrous magnesium silicates.
The name is derived for its historical use in lamp wicks; the resistance of asbestos to fire has long been exploited for a variety of purposes. Asbestos was used in fabrics such as Egyptian burial cloths and Charlemagne's tablecloth (which according to legend, he threw in a fire to clean). Asbestos occurs naturally in many forms (see below); it is mined from metamorphic rocks.
When asbestos is used for its resistance to fire or heat, the fibers are often mixed with cement or woven into fabric or mats. Asbestos is used in brake shoes and gaskets for its heat resistance, and in the past was used on electric oven and hotplate wiring for its electrical insulation at elevated temperature, and in buildings for its flame-retardant and insulating properties, tensile strength, flexibility, and resistance to chemicals. The inhalation of amphibole asbestos fibers can cause a number of serious illnesses, including mesothelioma and cancer. Since the mid 1980s, many uses of asbestos are banned in multiple countries.

(Provided by http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/exposure.htm)
Malignant mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure. There is a latency period of 20 to 50 years or more between initial exposure and development of the disease with the average being between 35 and 40 years. Rare instances have been documented when the interval was less than 20 years.
The incidence of mesothelioma rises with the intensity and duration of exposure to asbestos. However, there are numerous cases of mesothelioma among people with very little occupational exposure or even household exposure. There are cases of people getting mesothelioma 30 or 40 years after a summer job working construction, and cases of housewives or children being exposed from work clothing. Many people being diagnosed with mesothelioma now were exposed in the Navy many years ago, often unknowingly.

What are some symptoms? (Provided by http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma)

Mesothelioma that affects the pleura can cause these signs and symptoms:
chest wall pain
pleural effusion, or fluid surrounding the lung
shortness of breath
fatigue or anemia
wheezing, hoarseness, or cough
blood in the sputum (fluid) coughed up

How can Mesothelioma be treated? (http://www.mesotheliomaweb.org/treat.htm)

There are three traditional kinds of treatment for patients with malignant mesothelioma:
Surgery (taking out the cancer)
Chemotherapy (using drugs to fight the cancer)
Radiation Therapy (using high-dose x-rays or other high-energy rays to kill cancer cells)

Self-Replicating Machines

Implications of Self-Replicating Machines:

If you search Google with the term Self-Replicating Machines, you come across a variety of websites. Some of them are news articles about the Cornell Researchers who have made break throughs with their little cubes that replicate. You also get information about the subject from wikipedia, some information about von Neumann, and of course some ads about copy machines.
Wikipedia offers some of the best information in many subjects so I used that as a research tool.

As we know it, the self-replicating machine is not yet possible. The little factories that replicate will undoubtedly be a few decades away however, once we possess these wonders, life will surely change. If we set them up to be like the infamous 'astrochicken', we will learn alot about the way the solar system, the universe, and perhaps even evolution work.

Once we start the self-replicating machines on their journey to populate the stars, it will be interesting to see how they are affected by the reproduction and radiation of space. As many have already stated, it will be key to have robust error correction. Though it would be quite interesting to see what would happen if we let the machines replicate with errors. Most would probably shut down but mutations in the code may result in some highly complex behavior.

Other advantages could come from sensors and radio transimissions from the machines. While on their journey through the cosmos, they could transmit scientific data about the area they are in and the composition of matter around them allowing us to further our own knowledge. I would assume that they could also have radio sensors in hopes of detecting other forms of intelligent life.

After self-replicating machines become a reality, there are sure to be policies to follow. Initial policies should include robust error correction. There should also be encryption of the program running the machine so that people cannot turn the machines into weapons. Numerous tv shows and movies have used this as a plot line and even in real life we should be wary of the capabilities of the machines. These machines should only be used to spread information and learn about the stars. They will alter the environment that they land in but they will help gain important information about that same environment. They could help us spread our civilization to the stars.

Implications:
The self-replicating machine is a truly marvelous engineering wonder. Their potential for scientific knowledge is nearly infinite. Though regulation of the machines will be important, once policies and guidelines for their use are laid down, their importance will only grow.

Resources:
http://ai2dot0.blogspot.com/2006/11/self-replicating-machines.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-replicating_machine
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=self-replicating+machines
http://www.acceleratingfuture.com/michael/blog/?p=455